Dementia helped by painting

John A. MacInnes

The Little Art School was established by a mother of four who noticed that there were sports, music and drama clubs galore, but that children who loved to draw and paint simply had to sit at home and wait for inspiration.

Founder Joanne Robinson believes passionately that art can be a taught skill. Her syllabus has been developed over many years.

“It’s the syllabus I wish I’d followed,” she comments. “We start with understanding shape, then move to tone and then colour theory, perspective and on in a logical way through every aspect of drawing and painting.”

The organisation has created the UK’s first self-esteem building, highly structured drawing and painting course.

And that’s where the registered charity arm of The Little Art School steps in.

It offers free art lessons to people with dementia and their carers in the studio, and to the less mobile directly in care homes, and are working with Alzeimers Scotland to hone the style of lesson offered to this specifric group.

The Little Art School teaches anyone, from age 5 to 105, how to draw and paint.

The School opens in the Southside on April 2, at 254 Clarkston Road.

If you’re interested in learning more about the art project for those with dementia contact the art school via their Facebook page on: www.facebook.com/littleartschoolscotland or email them at: hello@littleartschool.co.uk